


Why Neil Shouldn't Be Allowed In Haunted Houses

by Spoodlemonkey



Category: X Company (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Haunted House, M/M, Uncle Neil - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-19
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-08-23 07:45:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8319649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoodlemonkey/pseuds/Spoodlemonkey
Summary: Why you shouldn't jump out at Neil...





	

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick little Halloween piece inspired by my friends fear of haunted houses and my fear of clowns...  
> Unbeta'd so let me know what you think!

Neil may be regretting his life choices a little.

Or a lot.

A clown cackles behind them, far too close. Aren’t performers told to keep a good distance away? Mags laughs, startled and delighted, her little hand clutching his own. Neil has to stop himself from dragging her away from the deranged looking thing.

Thankfully Aurora and Rene are right behind and the clown quickly moves on to them.

A haunted house had seemed like a grand idea; really get into the Halloween spirit. His sister couldn’t make it but he’d quickly offered to take Mags knowing how much the little girl loved them.

And really how terrible could a haunted house that allowed children in, be?

He really wants to kick himself.

They’re terrible.

Rene lets out a startled shriek and Neil is about two seconds away from looking for the nearest emergency exit. He can’t even appreciate how the other man tries to jump into Aurora’s arms in fright. A chain saw starts up nearby. This is it, he thinks, this is where it turns out there really is a serial killer lurking in the shadows.

“Isn’t this great Uncle Neil?” Mags beams up at him, her zombie makeup all the more startling in the dim lighting.

“Wonderful.” He grumbles, smile wearing thin.

Thankfully she doesn’t seem to notice.

“Having fun?” Aurora winks, not put off in the least by her boyfriend clinging to her. Neil shoots her a glare and walks into a face full of spider webs.

The haunted house is made up of three levels of an old wing of the hospital. They take a winding, meandering route through. Up ahead he can dimly hear another group, their screams and laughter just loud enough to keep him on edge. But Mags loves it so he sucks it up and just hopes that when a real killer shows up to murder them all, they go for Rene first so he can get Mags out of this hell hole.

They pass an examination room soaked in blood and gore.

“Cool!” Mags cries, delighted, before Neil has a chance to cover her eyes and hurry her along.

Somehow they manage to lose Aurora and Rene (which complicates his plan of sacrificing Rene to make a run for it). Haunting laughter fills the hall and cobwebs hang from the ceiling, brushing against him. The hair on the back of his neck stands on end, skin crawling at the touch. Even Mags has grown quiet, sliding closer to his side as they make their way cautiously in the dark.

And then there’s a strobe light, and someone jumps out at them, Mags shrieks and Neil…

Neil’s fist hits something very solid.

“Oh _fuck_.” Comes a muffled, nasally voice. Neil’s knuckles sting as he peers through the flashing lights at the figure sprawled on their back on the floor. Their hands are covering their face but they’re obviously human and not some psychotic monster come to kill them.

Shit.

His stomach drops as reality sinks back in.

“Uncle Neil!” It’s amazing how disproving an eleven year old can sound.

“I’m so sorry mate.” Neil crouches down next to the guy. He’s dressed all in black, a fake looking chainsaw on the ground nearby. The guy pulls his hands away from his face—there’s no blood, small miracles—and shoots Neil a very unimpressed look.

“You _hit_ me.”

Neil winces.

“ _Really_ sorry about that.”

“You hit me.” The guy repeats and Neil’s starting to wonder if maybe he hit his head on the way down. He wonders if the guy would let him feel for any bumps. His short, brown hair looks soft to the touch.

Neil flushes.

“You jumped out at us.” He points out and the guy laughs, a little hysterically.

“It’s my job?”

“You were very scary.” Mags adds helpfully, like it’s a compliment.

The guy smiles a little at this though, so maybe it is. And hell, he’s got a beautiful smile. If this is how he looks in the strobe light of a haunted house, Neil wonders how he looks in the daylight.

“Scared me.” Neil mutters and the guy laughs, accepting the hand up he offers. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. You punch like a girl.”

“Hey,” Neil and Mags protest.

“Probably going to end up with a bruise though,” the guy muses, touching his cheek gingerly. Neil winces, guilty.

“Can I make it up to you?” He asks before he can think better of it. The smile he gets in return is gorgeous.

“You can tell me your name.”

He flushes at the once over he gets, suddenly glad for the dim lighting.

“My names Mags.” His niece pipes in helpfully, apparently done feeling ignored. “This is my uncle Neil.”

“I’m Tom,” the other man grins, shaking Mags’ hand when she offers it. “It’s very nice to meet you Mags.”

“It was my idea to come here.” She tells him, proud. “Uncle Neil is scared of haunted houses.”

“Oh he is, is he? Never noticed.” The grin he directs at Neil is wicked. “Well I’m glad you brought him with you. And you make a _very scary_ zombie.”

Mags beams.

“I really want to make it up to you.” Neil presses. He isn’t quite ready to just walk away from the encounter.

“How about you treat me to a drink then?”

“I think I could manage that.” A slow smile makes its way across his face. Behind them he can hear others approaching; Tom glances towards the voices, then back at them, apologetic.

“Gotta get back to work. But I’m off at nine; meet me out front?”

If he runs home to get changed he’ll be cutting it close, dropping Mags off, but he wouldn’t miss it. He nods.

“Can’t wait.” Tom offers them a little wave. “It was nice to meet you Mags.”

Neil ushers them off as Aurora and Rene get closer. He doesn’t want to spoil the surprise for the pair.

He’s grinning for an entirely different reason as they continue through the halls, but with Rene’s screech it grows impossibly wider.


End file.
